Cable car project back on track

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Mt Santubong seen from Santubong Resort where a cable car is proposed to be built soon.

Construction of cable car link from Pasir Pandak to Mt Santubong’s peak to start soon

KUCHING: The much-talked about Mt Santubong cable car to link Mt Santubong from Santubong Resort and Pasir Pandak will be launched soon.

According to a spokesman of the firm which will implement the project the plans and proposals for the project had been approved by the relevant authorities.

A map of the proposed route of Santubong’s cable car.

“It’s still on. We will launch it at the most appropriate time soon, within this year,” the spokesman told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

He disclosed that the project costing about RM50 million would take 18 months to complete after the launch.

The cable car project received mixed reactions from locals before it was shelved a couple of years ago.

While the state’s tourism industry welcomed the project, some environmentalists had initiated campaigns to stop it as they claimed that it would be detrimental to the flora and fauna of the legendary mountain.

An artist’s impression of the proposed Santubong’s cable car for the summit station at Mt Santubong. — Photos by Rintos Mail

But the State Government, especially Minister of Tourism Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg had said on many occasions that the project would be good for the tourism industry in the State, especially in attracting more tourists not only to view Kuching and the surrounding areas from the mountain but also provide extra package for tourists visiting the whole Santubong area which has been turned into a tourism belt.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Santubong MP Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he had not seen the plan of the proposed cable car.

“I am thankful and welcome the initiative of the private sector to provide tourism infrastructure to Santubong area which has been declared a tourism hub by the state government.

“But at the same time any project that is going to be implemented must be carried out properly and satisfy all the necessary requirements of the law including the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report and other studies.

“And as far as I am concerned, I have not heard of the project being approved by the relevant authorities both at State and Federal levels,” said Wan Junaidi, who is also the deputy minister of home affairs.

He said the government has been promoting the tourism industry in the constituency to help improve the livelihood of locals who are mostly fishermen and farmers.